1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to piconet wireless networks. More particularly, it relates to the use of a combination 3-in-1 cell phone/cordless telephone/walkie-talkie device.
2. Background of Related Art
One of the new and useful ideas coming out of BLUETOOTH technology is the 3-in-1 cell phone, where a cell phone has advanced and additional capabilities to operate as a cordless telephone when near a matching cordless telephone base station, or to work as a walkie-talkie when near another similarly capable handset. This provides a cell phone that has advantages over competitors' cell phones which are not similarly capable, including the ability and convenience of storing all phone book data, calling history and user preferences.
Using such systems, a cell phone user has the ability and convenience of accessing a cordless telephone base station when, e.g., arriving home. Having such access, a cordless telephone user might make telephone calls using their cell phone handset accessing their cordless telephone base unit at times when they might not otherwise use their cell phone handset, e.g., when at home in the vicinity of a cordless telephone.
Convenience aside, a 3-in-1 cell phone conventionally provides establishment of a telephone call with a wireless cell phone network, or with a local cordless telephone, depending upon which mode the phone is in. To operate the 3-in-1 cell phone in a cordless telephone mode, the 3-in-1 cell phone is manually switched to a cordless telephone mode by the user, and then a telephone call is made from the base unit. Similarly, to operate a 3-in-1 cell phone in a cellular mode, the 3-in-1 phone is manually switched to a cellular mode, and then a cellular telephone call is established from the handset. To switch between cordless and cellular modes, the user must first terminate any existing telephone call, and then manually switch the mode of the 3-1 telephone.
There is a need in a 3-in-1 cell phone which provides smooth switchover and interaction between separate modes of operation.